Petition calls on Atlanta Braves to make ‘It Gets Better’ video

I’m a fan of Major League Baseball and the Atlanta Braves. I’m also very concerned about the spread of homophobia in professional sports. I was particularly alarmed at the words and actions of Roger McDowell when he verbally assaulted a man with his two daughters and three men in the stands in San Francisco.

It’s time for the Atlanta Braves to stand up against anti-gay bullying and homophobia in sports by making an “It Gets Better” video — like the San Francisco Giants, who became the first pro sports team to do so.

It is my hope that all people, LGBT and straight, can enjoy the atmosphere of major league baseball in a safe and welcoming environment. Please join me in asking Chairman and CEO Terry McGuirk, President John Schuerholz, and General Manager Frank Wren to lead the way on this important issue. Thank you.

McDowell, a Braves pitching coach, was suspended after he was accused of shouting, “Are you a homo couple or a threesome?” at Giants fans in San Francisco on April 23. McDowell also allegedly used a baseball bat to simulate a sex act and threatened a man who asked him to watch his language. The Braves have since met with Georgia Equality over the incident.

The “It Gets Better” video by the Giants was made in response to the McDowell incident.